Outdoor oven

TEXASBGE2018

So continuing my outdoor kitchen plans. I am now thinking about outdoor pizza ovens. I am debating between which kind i want to go with portable or fixed.

On the portable side Roccbox, the Ooni Pro, Pizza Party Ardore

On the fixed side Pizza Party Bollore, Fontona Forni Margherita, any others?

I really don’t want to spend $2k on an oven but if those of you that have one think it’s worth it, convince me. 

Biggest Downside for the fixed i have read is time it takes to heat and cool down. Downside of the portable is that they aren’t as large of a cooking area and you have to constantly turn the pizza to avoid burning.
 
Anyways sell me on your preferred choice.

thetrim

Just buy whatever @SciAggie has.

GATraveller

I don't have one but my cousin does and I've cooked in it. Incredible. I'll get one eventually but my kids seem to be chewing up all my spare change right now. Pretty sure it's what @SciAggie has also.
https://www.fornobravo.com/residential-pizza-ovens/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwoInnBRDDARIsANBVyATmNuqH4KUgwlMC9F8j85HdLQt6nuBCVkHdodNTIT5kfRRFS7yyPUgaAmKiEALw_wcB

WeberWho

It's an easy answer if you have the space and time to commit to a wood fired oven. Those are two big questions though. Do you really want to dedicate the time and money on something that might not get used very often?

This might be a good way to involve the kid like you've mentioned with the Mini-Max. A nice way to spend time together.

Do whatever best fits you. Not what other people think. Do your research. See what best fits your needs. 

TEXASBGE2018

I should probably add that 90% of it’s use at least for now would be for pizzas. But I do like the ability of cooking other things.

SciAggie

@thetrim Thanks for the kind words. 
I have a Forno Bravo 90 cm oven and I love it. I also know folks that have a Mugiani and they are really nice as well. I think the deciding factor is whether or not you need the retained heat of a massive oven. If pizzas are the primary goal then I doubt a massive oven is worth the expense. Pizzas are cooked with a live fire in the oven so high temps are easy to achieve without a lot of thermal mass.

If you want to cook a wider variety of things retained heat due to thermal mass becomes more important. If I have my oven at pizza temps on a Friday night it’s still hot enough on Saturday morning to cook biscuits. You can bake on Saturday (or get back to high temps quickly). As it cools it will stay at 225-250 degrees for hours and hours - perfect as a massive slow cooker. 

Do you need/want anything like that? Also I think they look cool. All this said, I’ve seen some really good looking food come out of a Roccbox...

Canugghead

FWIW, Fontana is not fixed, just too heavy to be portable but you can take it with you if you move.  Of the three portable candidates I have the Adore and love it, it requires less turning compared to the other two, because it has a long burner on the side vs. a spot burner in the rear.

TEXASBGE2018

SciAggie said:

@thetrim Thanks for the kind words. 
I have a Forno Bravo 90 cm oven and I love it. I also know folks that have a Mugiani and they are really nice as well. I think the deciding factor is whether or not you need the retained heat of a massive oven. If pizzas are the primary goal then I doubt a massive oven is worth the expense. Pizzas are cooked with a live fire in the oven so high temps are easy to achieve without a lot of thermal mass.

If you want to cook a wider variety of things retained heat due to thermal mass becomes more important. If I have my oven at pizza temps on a Friday night it’s still hot enough on Saturday morning to cook biscuits. You can bake on Saturday (or get back to high temps quickly). As it cools it will stay at 225-250 degrees for hours and hours - perfect as a massive slow cooker. 

Do you need/want anything like that? Also I think they look cool. All this said, I’ve seen some really good looking food come out of a Roccbox...

Ya this is really my biggest dilemma. I like the idea of the big fixed outdoor oven to cook multiple things and for the aesthetics. But I question whether I would truly get use out of it after a while. At 1st I’m sure I will use it a ton but 6 months later after the luster was worn I’m wondering if it will sit there most of the time. That’s kinda where I am leaning more towards the portables I think. Mainly the Uuni Pro or Roccbox. I know the Roccbox is the big choice for most on here but do any of you have the Uuni Pro?

TEXASBGE2018

Canugghead said:

FWIW, Fontana is not fixed, just too heavy to be portable but you can take it with you if you move.  Of the three portable candidates I have the Adore and love it, it requires less turning compared to the other two, because it has a long burner on the side vs. a spot burner in the rear.

What size pizzas can you cook in the Ardore? I do like the side burner rather than the rear burner.

DoubleEgger

I’d buy a portable one and see how you like it before you go to the time and expense of a large built in. You can always sell the portable at a small loss. 

caliking

As you are well aware, peeps here can , and will , convince you to buy anything

if if you’re going to use it like @SciAggie does, then get a big fixed oven. 

Otherwise, get something like the roccbox. 

I built a redneck portable WFO some years ago, and have not used it in about 5 yrs or so. It’s portable because I didn’t use any mortar, but it will take a few days to move to a new location!

TEXASBGE2018

The more I think about it the more I feel for now the portables are the way to go. At least now I’ve narrowed it down to 3. Kiddo did say he liked the lime green of the Roccbox. But I do like the “BGE green” limited edition Ardore. So much to think about......

Canugghead

I have not measured, guessing 12"-13" can be accommodated and still have room for turning. Here's a long thread on Ardore if you're interested...
https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=54604.0;topicseen

Photo Egg

I would go with Gas oven that you can also add wood.
https://www.pizzapartyshop.com/en/wood-or-gas-fired-pizza-oven/

deekortiz3

My Ooni Pro is arriving today and I should have the pellet and gas attachments later this week or early next week. Hoping to get some good weather late this week to give it a try.

Canugghead

@Photo Egg  the thought of retrofitting a gas burner to my Maximus (Pizza Party knockoff) crossed my mind a few times, but I have an Ardore now.